5 Sketching courses in Grays

Francesca Wyllie (BA Hons Fine Art) has an amazing north-facing art studio at El Retiro in Andalucia, which was purpose-built to accommodate painting groups. Bespoke painting and sculpture workshops can be arranged or Francesca can travel locally to guide you in your own studios or locations.

Ninth Life is opening its doors to our amazing neon workshop for a special event of neon life drawing! Join us in Catford for an evening of vibrant artistic fun. Come to a life drawing class like no other using neon reactive arts materials to draw inspiringly colourful life models.

DESIGN AND MOCK UP BAGS AND ACCESSORIES – LEARN HOW TO PLAN, DESIGN AND COMMUNICATE YOUR PROJECT – Group Class: one teacher, six students – You will learn: What you need to study, research, and understand about the industry.How to correctly design a collection of fashion accessories.What information you should be able to provide about your designs.How to prepare a project for prototyping and manufacturing. How to create three-dimensional mock-ups of your designs. WHERE:At our South East London studioCOURSE LENGTH:Two consecutive weeks / Mon-Fri 10 am-3.30 pm   LEVEL:Complete beginners, beginners with some experience of drawing and/or designing and intermediate designers COURSE DESCRIPTION: BAG AND ACCESSORY DESIGN MASTERCLASSThis course is tailored for beginners and intermediate-level participants, offering a distinctive group class format designed to assist aspiring designers or those seeking guidance in bringing to life a practical and viable collection of bags and/or accessories.Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive grasp of fundamental skills in accessory design and what it requires to become a bag designer. It empowers you to transform your creative concepts into tangible realities by providing instruction on the essential steps required for prototyping and manufacturing your collection.In addition to acquiring the skills to design bags and accessories accurately and understanding what information to convey to a prototype maker, this course will guide you through the process of constructing three-dimensional mock-ups for your designs.   WHY THIS COURSE DIFFERS FROM THE TYPICAL ‘ACCESSORY DESIGN’ PROGRAMMEThis course has been meticulously designed by a team comprising designers, prototype makers, and handbag manufacturers. It offers a blend of theoretical and practical elements, providing you with the knowledge required by the industry to comprehend and accurately translate your ideas into finished products.Unlike courses that solely focus on creating aesthetically pleasing drawings, this programme emphasizes providing a comprehensive understanding of the intricate and extensive processes involved in designing a collection of handbags. It aims to equip you with the insights necessary to navigate the complexities, ensuring you are well-prepared before and during the design phase. By doing so, the course aims to save you time, expense, and potential frustration when it comes to prototyping and manufacturing your collection.   WHY WE DEVELOPED A FASHION DESIGN COURSEAfter years of designing and developing collections for our clients, we noticed a significant lack of clear information on what it truly takes to become a designer of handbags and fashion accessories.This course is crafted to assist both emerging and struggling designers in developing and articulating their ideas effectively for the prototyping phase. It addresses the needs and challenges faced by our customers, aiming to support and streamline the creative process for project realization.   WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?This course is tailored for aspiring designers seeking professional advice from industry experts, individuals at the beginning of their design careers who require guidance to enhance their design process, or those simply looking to refine their drawing techniques for personal enjoyment.No previous experience is necessary.   WHAT WILL BE TAUGHT?Below is a list of topics covered during the classes:Understanding the role of a bag designerBefore designing: understanding and analsing crucial external aspects that will influence your business successAbout your business idea and profile: understanding the target audience, market placement, pricing strategy and more.Understanding what a moodboard is and how to use itUnderstanding the differences and purposes of illustrations vs technical drawingsUnderstanding the importance of construction and its impact on your designOverview of the anatomy of a handbag, lining and reinforcementsUnderstanding the structure of a collection: the use of a collection planLearning how to plan a balanced collection of fashion accessoriesUnderstanding finishing options for your designsUnderstanding hardware and its impact on the cost price of your collectionOverview of leather and vegan leatherIdentifying the right materials for your collectionLearning how to draw three-dimensional bagsSketching technical drawingsGoing through the product development of three designsDeveloping patterns and realising 1 to 3 three-dimensional mock-ups of your collectionProviding technical information about your collection to the prototype makerUnderstanding the prototyping processManufacturing your collection: how it works and what the options are HOW WILL THE CLASS BE TAUGHT?The class will take place in person at our London studio, and the lessons will alternate between theoretical instruction and practical exercises.Some homework will be assigned to students between lessons.   HOW LONG IS THIS TUITION?: This course spans two weeks and will be conducted from Monday to Friday, running from 10 am to 3.30 pm, with a 30-minute lunch break.   INCLUDED IN THE COURSE:You will also receive access to a collection of handouts providing relevant information, useful resources and support in continuing your designing process independently.The handouts will contain:– A glossary containing essential key words related to the topic of the lesson– An illustrated glossary containing information about type of bags and bags’ features– An illustrated guide on common hardware used in bags and accessories– Documents about leather types, finishings, tanning processes– Information about perspective and guides to be used as reference to develop your drawings– A list of recommended suppliers for both leather and fittings (physically in London and online)– A glossary containing information about leather types and characteristics   WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS?You should be able to use measurements and understand verbal and written English instructions.   ARE THERE ANY OTHER COSTS? IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO BRING?Materials to exercise with are included.Feel free to bring a notepad, if you would like to take some notes, we will provide the rest.

This fashion design 2-DAY course for beginners and intermediates is a group class aimed to support aspiring designers or designers in need of guidance in the realisation of a viable and realistic collection of bags and/or accessories.This course enables you to understand essential skills required to become a fashion bag designer ans well as guiding you through the steps necessary for designing, developing, prototyping and manufacturing your collection.   WHY THIS IS NOT THE USUAL ‘ACCESSORY DESIGN’ COURSEThis course is designed by a team of designers, prototype makers and handbag manufacturers.It is both a theoretical and practical course which will teach you what the industry requires from designers in order to be able to understand and correctly translate their ideas into finished products.This course is focused on giving you an overview on the complexity and extensiveness of the process that designing a collection of handbags requires.The course will assist you in understanding the prerequisites before and during the design of your styles. This knowledge will enable you to circumvent a lengthy, costly, and occasionally frustrating process when it comes time to prototype and manufacture your collection.   WHY WE CREATED A FASHION DESIGN COURSEAfter years of experience in designing and developing collections for our customers, we realised that there was a substantial lack of clear information available about what designing a collection of handbags and fashion accessories truly requires and how it is achieved.We created this course with the aim of helping the new generation of designers, as well as designers which are still struggling, in developing their ideas and empower them to clearly and correctly communicate them to whoever is going to prototype their collection.We essentially have created this tuition based on the needs and problems of our customers, hoping to promote and facilitate creatives in the realisation of their projects.   WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?This course is designed for aspiring designers and professionals seeking expert advice from the industry. It caters to those in need of guidance to optimise their design process or understand the nuances of working as a fashion accessory designer.No previous experience is required.   WHAT WILL BE TAUGHT?The designing classes cover various topics, including: - Preliminary considerations before designingUnderstanding the concept and use of a moodboard - Overview of researching crucial aspects like target audience, market placement, pricing strategy, etc - Overview on leather and hardware and their impact on costImportance of construction and finishing optionsAnatomy of a handbag, including lining and reinforcements - Understanding how to structure a collection with a collection planPlanning a balanced collection of fashion accessories - Differences and purposes of illustrations vs technical drawingsSketching techniques, including drawing in perspective and technical drawings - Product development for a specific design - Understanding what technical information the prototype maker requires - Overview of the prototyping processOverview of manufacturing options and processes for your collection HOW WILL THE ABOVE BE TAUGHT:The class will take place in person at our London studio and the lesson will alternate between theoretical lessons and practical exercises.   INCLUDED IN THE COURSE:You will also receive access to a collection of handouts providing relevant information, useful resources and support in continuing your designing process independently.The handouts will contain: – A glossary containing essential key words related to the topic of the lesson – An illustrated glossary containing information about type of bags and bags’ features – An illustrated guide on common hardware used in bags and accessories – Documents about leather types, finishings, tanning processes – Information about perspective and guides to be used as reference to develop your drawings – A list of recommended suppliers for both leather and fittings (physically in London and online) – A glossary containing information about leather types and characteristics WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS? You should be able to use measurements and understand verbal and written English instructions.   ARE THERE ANY OTHER COSTS? IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO BRING?Materials to exercise with are included.Feel free to bring a notepad, if you would like to take some notes, we will provide the rest. HOW LONG IS THIS TUITION?:This tuition will require up to 14 hours to complete.We aim to provide customised and high-quality tuition services and by only allowing max 6 students at a time, we are able to focus on each person needs and interests. As every student has a different level of ability and previous experience, this course might lead some students to complete the core aspects of the lesson in a shorter time frame than others. Students who complete the course early will be welcome to stay and use the studio facilities to exercise on the topics of the lesson.

Commission an original, traditional and quirky Portrait in oils, acrylics or digital sketches